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Cinema opening from Friday: operators feel surprised

It takes a “lead time of several weeks to open all the houses,” Cineplexx managing directors Christian Langhammer and Christof Papousek told APA. Therefore, one continues to target July 1 as the start date. It was regretted that the government had not responded to the planning security, which had been called for several times, and instead, operation was only possible two days later with an ordinance of May 27.

“Cinemas cannot be judged differently from theater,” said Green Party Secretary of State for Culture Andrea Mayer at a press conference on Thursday about the premature opening step. “It is important to us that we can experience film in the cinema again in Austria. The cinema is a magical place. ”Industry representatives spoke about this at the large round table on Friday. “And of course I informed individual cinema operators about this first opening step.”

APA / Georg Hochmuth

The new Green Culture Secretary Andrea Mayer

How to implement requirements?

In the meantime, Cineplexx is working on the implementation of the stipulated conditions, “in particular compliance with distance regulations and the associated logic for the more than 200 room plans are already being created”. The film program also plays an important role, according to the Cineplexx managing directors. “We are expecting further openings in different countries and are therefore expecting major film starts from mid-July.”

Christian Dörfler, President of the Austrian Cinema Association, showed himself “not happy” about the way it was opened earlier in the “Standard”. “This is not the predictability that politicians have wished for because it takes four to six weeks to start operations,” and new films would also be missing.

Operator: “It is impossible within 48 hours”

Mario Hueber, head of the Megaplex in Pasching, also hit the same line: “Unlocking a cinema within 48 hours is impossible,” quoted the “Oberösterreichische Nachrichten”. “We have always emphasized that we need predictability,” said Hueber. There will therefore be no films in his cinema at the weekend.

Cinema hall

ORF.at/Julia Hammerle

The cinemas are still empty – and it may stay that way for weeks

However, the cinemas of the Diesel chain will again offer a program “after a long dry spell”. As can be seen on the website, the program will resume at all nine locations in Austria on Friday. The seating plans have been adapted to the coronavirus measures, mouth-nose protection is not to be worn on the seat, but in the rest of the building.

Vienna’s cinemas open from mid-June

The Viennese program cinemas had already announced on Thursday that they wanted to open in mid-June. This also applies to the Admiral Kino, which, however, provides a first foretaste on Pentecost weekend. In the traditional horticultural cinema, speculation had already been made at the beginning of the week that the start date would be earlier than July in order to equate the possible events. However, according to Managing Director Norman Shetler, there was no “official announcement” – until Wednesday the amendment to the regulation was available.

“Normally, four to six weeks would be a desirable period to restart operations. Of course, with a lot of action, you can stamp a screen out of the ground within 48 hours, but that would not correspond to our idea of ​​well-thought-out programming and a cinema experience that is comfortable and safe under current circumstances, ”Shetler told APA.

It is unclear which films are available

In any case, it is now necessary to implement the measures described in the regulation and to train the employees. “Programming is challenging because it remains to be seen how the distributors will behave and which films will be available,” said Shetler. “Whether it pays off or not depends less on the regulations than on how hungry the audience really is.” However, he does not expect a certain normalcy until autumn.

Drive-in cinemas may breathe a sigh of relief

The cultural institution of the drive-in cinemas celebrates a revival in the interval times: Since May 15th the operation of the virus-proof cinema enjoyment has been possible and has been used in many places – for the time being without restriction of the number of visitors. However, this appeared to change with the publication of the new easing regulation.

After all, events – including film screenings – are prohibited for over 100 people. Compared to the “Oberösterreichische Nachrichten” (Thursday edition), the Ministry of Social Affairs said regarding the drive-in cinema: “According to the current legal situation, this is an event. And that is limited to 100 people. “

Until now, providers such as the Linz drive-in cinema often had space for more than 200 cars and their occupants on the fair grounds in Urfahr. Automobile cinephiles can now breathe a sigh of relief. “The easing regulation will be adjusted so that the existing regulation for drive-in cinemas can be continued,” said Mayer’s secretary of state, Mayer, when APA asked.

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